Hess 139 – “Minnesold von Bürger, in Tönen an Amenda ausbezahlt von Beethoven”
Hess 139 – “Minnesold von Bürger, in Tönen an Amenda ausbezahlt von Beethoven” ( “Tribute of affection by Bürger, paid in tones to Amenda by Beethoven.”).
The autograph of the lied bearing this title was sent in 1852 by Amenda’s son to Dr. Hermann Härtel in Leipzig, who then passed it on to a certain Professor Lobe; thereafter, it vanished from record. References to the piece also appear in Ludwig Nohl’s Beethoven, Liszt, Wagner. Ein Buch der Kunstbewegung unseres Jahrhunderts (Vienna, W. Braunmüller, 1874, p. 94).
Musicologist Barry Cooper suggests that the author of the text may indeed be Bürger, and places the likely date of composition around 1798. This hypothesis appears well-founded: the poem “Minnesold” was penned in the late 18th century by the poet Gottfried August Bürger (1747–1794), and it seems to be the textual basis for Beethoven’s lied. It is also believed that Beethoven, indebted in some way to Karl Amenda, repaid him by setting this eight-stanza poem to music.
Whether Amenda himself requested the musical setting or whether it was Beethoven’s initiative remains unknown. Beethoven had previously sent Amenda the first version of his String Quartet Op. 18 No. 1, and Amenda recounted that Beethoven had depicted the farewell of two lovers in the slow movement, inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
The theme of “faithful love” is undeniably recurrent in Beethoven’s oeuvre, reaching its zenith in Fidelio. See Paul Netti’s Beethoven Handbook (Ungar Publishing, New York, 1956, p. 4).
Gottfried August Bürger – A Brief Biography
Born December 31, 1747, in Molmerswende, eastern Harz, Bürger was the son of pastor Johann Gottfried Bürger and Gertraud Elisabeth Bauer. He studied theology and classical philology in Halle at his grandfather’s behest, later enrolling in Göttingen to study law. It was during this period that he began writing.
His first publications appeared in 1771 in the Göttinger Hain, an annual literary anthology. In 1779, he oversaw the Göttinger Musenalmanach. He served as magistrate in Altengleichen near Göttingen from 1772, and in 1774 married Dorette Leonhart. Concurrently, he had a romantic relationship with her sister Auguste, who appears in his poetry as “Molly.”
After Dorette’s death in 1784 during childbirth, Bürger married Auguste in 1785. In 1786, he published the famed Baron Münchhausen tales, which achieved global renown but brought him little financial gain. He became associate professor of aesthetics at Göttingen in 1789. His third marriage, to Elise Hahn in 1790, ended in divorce two years later.
In 1791, Friedrich Schiller anonymously published a scathing critique of Bürger’s poetry in the Allgemeine Literatur-Zeitung, which deeply affected Bürger’s confidence. He died June 8, 1794, in his garden cottage in Göttingen and was buried at Bartholomäusfriedhof.
His most celebrated work remains the ballad Leonore, first published in 1774 in the Göttinger Musenalmanach.
Wem der Minnedienst gelinget,
O, wie hoch wird der belohnt!
Keinen bessern Lohn erringet,
Wer dem grösten Kaiser frohnt.
Denn mit Szepter, Kron’ und Gold,
Frohnt er selbst um Minnesold.
Was sind Gold und Edelsteine?
Was des Mogols Perlenpracht?
Minnesold ist doch alleine,
Was auch reich die Herzen macht.
Perlen, Edelstein und Gold
Näm’ ich nicht für Minnesold.
Minnesold läst Amt und Ehren,
Goldnen Sporn und Ritterschlag,
Lässet ohne Neid entberen,
Was der Kaiser geben mag.
Ehre lacht nicht halb so hold,
Als der Minne Freudensold.
Nimmer, nimmermehr hienieden
Fänd’ ich süsseren Genies.
Süsseres ist nur beschieden
Seligen im Paradies.
Süs ist, was die Biene zolt;
Süsser dennoch Minnesold.
Minnesold ist aller Freuden,
Aller Freuden Fünftelsaft;
Minnesold hat aller Leiden,
Aller Leiden Heilungskraft.
Was der Balsamstaud’ entrollt,
Heilet nicht, wie Minnesold.
Minnesold lehrt frei verachten
Aller Färlichkeiten Not,
Flammen, Wasserfluten, Schlachten,
Lehrt verschmähen jeden Tod.
Stürb’ ich nicht für Ehr’ und Gold,
Stürb’ ich doch für Minnesold.
Auszuspenden alle Habe,
Zu verbluten mit Gedult,
Wär’ ein Schärflein Armengabe,
Für der Minne Dank und Huld.
Den Verlust von Gut und Blut
Macht der Sold der Minne gut.
O, so wil ich immer harren,
Immerdar, mit stetem Mut;
Im Dezemberfrost erstarren,
Schmachten in des Heumonds Glut.
Denn das alles lohnt der Sold,
Den getreue Minne zolt.
